Esurance vs. Farm Bureau Financial Services: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Farm Bureau Financial Services offers significantly more affordable prices than Esurance
• Esurance may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Farm Bureau Financial Services
• Farm Bureau Financial Services offers cheaper average rates for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering substantial savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services, but between the two, which carrier has less expensive premiums for auto insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Esurance has average rates that are around 45% a month more expensive than those from Farm Bureau Financial Services.

However, Farm Bureau Financial Services may not be the lowest or best option for each driver out there. Car insurance carriers use a variety of complex algorithms to determine rates, so depending on how good your credit score is or where you live (among multiple other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each company broken down by several different rate factors.

Esurance vs. Farm Bureau Financial Services: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and Farm Bureau Financial Services only compete against each other in one states, with Farm Bureau Financial Services offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Arizona has the most noticable difference, where Farm Bureau Financial Services rates are $1 less expensive than insurance premiums at Esurance.

But there's more to auto insurance than just the state you live in. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how insurance companies calculate your prices. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. That's normally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 55% less per month by choosing Farm Bureau Financial Services over Esurance.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Esurance policyholders lower over 65% and Farm Bureau Financial Services's prices decrease nearly 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the cheapest car insurance rates you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise premiums.

When looking at Esurance and Farm Bureau Financial Services specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Farm Bureau Financial Services gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $105 cheaper than the national average for Esurance.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance prices tend to be more affordable for married couples than they are for those who are single. That's normally because married policyholders tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with Farm Bureau Financial Services premiums coming in at about half of Esurance's. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - Farm Bureau Financial Services has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and file an insurance claim, which means they'll usually end up paying more for auto insurance than women.

Women generally pay around 7% a month less than men with Esurance, but surprisingly, with Farm Bureau Financial Services, women typically pay about 3% more per month than men.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Farm Bureau Financial Services offers the most affordable average premiums for both men and women, with average rates $141 less for men and $115 cheaper for women.

Esurance vs. Farm Bureau Financial Services: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

Insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different terms and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

Even so, the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, alongside liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Farm Bureau Financial Services has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $87. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Farm Bureau Financial Services again has the edge, with policies averaging around $253 a month to Esurance's $396.

Is Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and at-fault collisions lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services -- has the cheapest prices for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Esurance for their auto insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 16% after getting a speeding ticket. Farm Bureau Financial Services policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 17%.

But Farm Bureau Financial Services tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket -- their rates are around 50% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 49% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Esurance drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums rise by over $100, while those who have insurance through Farm Bureau Financial Services will see about a $65 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Farm Bureau Financial Services end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $187 compared to Esurance's $364.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. For example, Farm Bureau Financial Services increases average rates by more than $100 per month -- that's more than a 45% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, Farm Bureau Financial Services tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $226 to Esurance's $301.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and Farm Bureau Financial Services Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly car insurance rates. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Michigan and Hawaii are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of policyholders out there.

Auto insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking specifically at Farm Bureau Financial Services and Esurance, which company has the best prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, Farm Bureau Financial Services will usually reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Farm Bureau Financial Services comes in over 40.65 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save about 47% with Farm Bureau Financial Services compared to average premiums from Esurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Farm Bureau Financial Services typically offers lower prices than Esurance when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 48% a month less with Farm Bureau Financial Services compared to Esurance, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about 40% a month.

Is Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in how much insurance carriers will charge for coverage. Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Farm Bureau Financial Services tends to be the more affordable option. Farm Bureau Financial Services average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in nearly $150 cheaper than Esurance. Those who drive 12,000 miles each year can expect to pay over $100 less with Farm Bureau Financial Services over Esurance.

Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a sizable role in how much you pay for car insurance. Normally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads where they live.

Farm Bureau Financial Services boasts the lowest average prices for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay around $155 monthly with Farm Bureau Financial Services compared to Esurance's $211. People in suburban areas pay a monthly premium of about $159 with Farm Bureau Financial Services compared to $288 with Esurance. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Farm Bureau Financial Services's average rates are around $196 per month compared to Esurance's $396.

Esurance vs. Farm Bureau Financial Services Discounts

You want to save as much money as you can, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be difficult to find all the ones you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Esurance and Farm Bureau Financial Services so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Esurance knocks Farm Bureau Financial Services out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 15 more discounts than Farm Bureau Financial Services.

Both companies offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and paid in full discounts -- but Esurance also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, agency transfer, and more.

On the other hand, Farm Bureau Financial Services has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like life policy discounts, safe young driver discounts, seasoned account discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services Best for You?

You've seen the role certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

Farm Bureau Financial Services might be best for you if....

• You have a speeding ticket on your driving record.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower premiums.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance company.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Esurance and Farm Bureau Financial Services. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just Esurance and Farm Bureau Financial Services. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Esurance vs. Farm Bureau Financial Services FAQs

Is Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services cheaper?

Farm Bureau Financial Services is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $170 a month with Farm Bureau Financial Services and $299 for Esurance. However, that doesn't mean Farm Bureau Financial Services will be the most affordable carrier for every driver, since there are lots of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Esurance and Farm Bureau Financial Services offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use many different factors when determining the rates they charge. Variables such as where you park your car, age, where you call home, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Esurance and Farm Bureau Financial Services calculate premiums using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

How do I know if Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Esurance or Farm Bureau Financial Services at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.